Israel-Hamas war live updates: U.S. pushes for temporary Gaza cease-fire at U.N. vote
NBCFeb 28
ICJ: US Says Israel Shouldn't Be Ordered to Leave Palestinian Territory
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Image copyright: Michel Porro/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The US argued at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday that Israel should not be ordered to withdraw from Palestinian territories it captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war without security guarantees that take into account "Israel’s very real security needs."
Several countries, including South Africa and Saudi Arabia, have called for Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza, with the ICJ being asked to review Israel's "occupation, settlement and annexation" to include "its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks, whether from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from minimizing Israel's legitimate security concerns. However, Netanyahu is going too far with the war in Gaza, and he must be willing to follow through on his promises and compromise as needed so that another extended truce can take effect, which will hopefully lead to a more permanent resolution to this conflict. The Biden administration is losing its patience with Netanyahu's intransigence.
Pro-Israel narrative
The ICJ has no authority over Israel and is cynically accusing the country of committing crimes akin to those committed by dictators like Vladimir Putin, which is both delusional and illegitimate. A small fraction of Israeli soldiers, of course, likely have committed crimes, but Israel justly prosecutes them. Unlike the myriad of brutal autocracies one may find just across the Middle East, it's simply absurd to assume that Israel, a democratic state, would be guilty of the systematic war crimes it is accused of as it fights terrorism.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israeli forces are committing daily massacres in the Gaza Strip, demonstrating the urgency with which the international community must apply more pressure on Israel and the US to accept a permanent cease-fire and end this brutal campaign. The US is effectively isolating itself from its Arab partners and the rest of the world by diverging from even its Western allies in terms of its support for Israel's slaughter. To get the hostages back, Israel must withdraw from Gaza and end the bloodshed.
